Review on 🍱 Bentgo Kids Children's Lunch Box: Fun and Functional Mealtime Companion by Mark Hart

If you're hesitant about which bento box to order for your child (BENTGO KIDS or YUMBOX), I'm comparing the two brands in this review. My family have been using both for about a month **BENTGO KIDS** My 5 year old takes this box for lunch and in my opinion it really is the best choice for YOUNG KIDS. It has a more youthful color scheme, five small product compartments, a DURABLE RUBBER COATING top and bottom, and overall is a higher quality product that will take more abuse than the Yumbox. The clasps are HEAVY DUTY than the Yumbox and although it can be a little tricky for kids to close at first (it's a tight clasp around the inner shell) my son got the hang of it after a few tries. Bentgo Kids trays come in three different colors and appear to be more durable than Yumbox trays. The Bentgo Kids box doesn't hold a lot of food but it's big enough for my son and I think it will hold enough food while he's awake. second third class (probably a good box for 3-8 year olds?). The largest compartment will hold half a sandwich, unless you have a large loaf, in which case you can just quarter it. The Bentgo Kids bowl is slightly larger than the Yumbox so it fits snugly in my son's soft wall LL Bean box, but we managed to fit the Bentgo and Lifefactory water bottle in the LL Bean box. *UPDATE* - We recently purchased an LL Bean Discovery Lunchbox and it fits easily in a Bentgo or Yumbox, as well as a water bottle and accessories. The Bentgo also fits in a Lands' End ClassMate padded lunch box with a Goodbyn water bottle (see photo). Is the Bentgo Kids leaking? nope The rubber seal on the lid is impressive and the ranch sauce stays clean in the center sauce compartment. The padding on the yumbox doesn't look that great, which is another reason I like Bentgo Kids more for younger kids. It's pretty reliable. To clean, simply remove the inner bowl and place in the dishwasher. I always hand wash the outer case or at least wipe it down every day. **YUMBOX PANINO** I bought this Yumbox Panino for my 9 year old third grader. I prefer the colors and design of the Yumbox Panino for OLDER KIDS (maybe 7-12 years old?). It's less childish than the Bentgo Kids box, and the panino version has room for a larger sandwich. Because his tray has thin dividers, you can fit a little more food in there. The Yumbox is a SLIGHTLY SMALLER SIZE than the Bentgo Kids and fits neatly into my son's LL Bean lunchbox, but his water bottle makes the lid of his lunchbox protrude - not a big deal. We've since switched to the LL Bean Discovery lunch box, which is much deeper and has plenty of room. If you only have room for a small, slim water bottle, a Goodbyn bottle is a great option (available from Revain). We packed ranch dressing in the center, and as long as I press down firmly and snap the lid open, it doesn't spill. The inner tray has text printed on the bottom (these are not removable stickers), but it looks more mature than the fancy designs on other Yumbox trays. Yumbox sells basic trays on their website. The tray snaps off easily for washing in the dishwasher, but we always hand wash the outer shell. FOUR branches or SIX? Yes, Yumbox offers two different versions - the same size, but the trays have more or less compartments. I argued a lot about what to buy but ended up deciding that the panino style (4 compartment) will grow with my son better than the yumbox with 6 compartment and on days when I can't fit a large sandwich in, I just do it use silicone. Baking molds as a release agent. Links to the cupcake liners and leaf shaped chopsticks shown in my photo are at the bottom of this review. SUMMARY: Both boxes have different functions, so choosing a box really depends on your child's needs. YUMBOX PANINO is my favorite for OLDER KIDS or those who eat big meals due to the tray design and color combinations. BENTGO KIDS is great for younger kids as it feels more durable while still containing plenty of food for little ones. I would like the Bentgo Kids box to come in more colors but this may be in development. My son, for now, likes to use his brightly colored baking sheets to spice things up a bit. Links to other products shown in my photo: Silicone Cupcake Liners (this set has red liners which my sons should have had): http://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Cupcake-Kitchen-Buddies- Included /dp/B00LR84HXA/ ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1425867226&sr=1-1Leaf Food Picks: http://www.amazon.com/Tornado-P-2759-Leaf-pick-10P/dp/B0019XLGLE/ ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1426438596&sr=1-1&keywords=leaf+food+picksGoodbyn Bottle:http://www.amazon.com/Goodbyn-20064BT-Bottle-Blue/dp/B0050O92PK/ref=sr_1_1 ?ie=UTF8&qid=1442187692&sr=8-1&keywords=goodbyn+bottleFebruary 2017 UPDATE: My sophomore still uses his Bentgo Kids almost every day as it contains more than enough food for his appetite. The rubber pad on the outer container started to peel off a bit (although I always hand wash it) and Bentgo sent me a replacement! What a wonderful product and equally great customer service!